maquis (Italian macchia; Spanish matorral) A French term for drought-resistant Mediterranean scrub, taller than garrigue, and composed of evergreen shrubs and small trees with thick, leathery leaves (sclerophylls), or spiny foliage, e.g. Olea europaea (wild olive), Cistus species (cistus), Erica species (heather), and Genista species (broom). For the most part this sclerophyllous formation has been derived by a combination of burning and grazing from the original mixed evergreen Mediterranean forest.

maquis(Italian macchia; Spanish matorral). A French term for drought-resistant Mediterranean scrub, taller than garrigue, and composed of evergreen shrubs and small trees with thick, leathery leaves (sclerophylls) or spiny foliage, e.g. Olea europaea (wild olive), Cistus species (cistus), Erica species (heather), and Genista species (broom). For the most part this sclerophyllous formation has been derived by a combination of burning and grazing from the original mixed evergreen Mediterranean forest.

maquis dense scrub vegetation consisting of hardy evergreen shrubs and small trees, characteristic of coastal regions in the Mediterranean. The French resistance movement during the German occupation (1940–5), the Maquis, took their name from this.

maquis underground patriotic movement in France in the war of 1939–45. — F., ‘scrub’ — It. macchia spot, thicket:- L. macula spot.